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I was struck by the quote from Chossudovsky copied below
"The existence of a "global financial crisis" is casually denied by the
Western media, its social impacts are downplayed or distorted;
international
institutions including the United Nations deny the mounting tide of World
poverty: "the progress in reducing poverty over the [late] 20th century is
remarkable and unprecedented..."1. The "consensus" is that the Western
economy is "healthy" and that "market corrections" on Wall Street are
largely attributable to the "Asian flu" and to Russia's troubled
"transition
to a free market economy"."
The power of words to (mis)describe truth are shown in that small piece.
Who is to blame for the "global financial crisis"? Probably those with the
most to gain. Is the crisis "Asian flu"? Do we blame the Asians, the
Russians, the Africans, Chinese?
My interest is not the argument about "who" but the use of cute sound bites
and pithy headlines to determine national thinking and social behaviour.
"Asian flu" very usefully transfers blame to all Asians. The West is
therefore blameless. The West hasn't got the flu. They are not sick. It
is therefore not within the Western consciousness that the financial crisis
facing Asian (and other) countries has its origins in Western greed.
Who is at fault for this mis-information. Unfortunately it is our
ourselves and therefore, through reflection, the media. We have an
appetite for sexual scandal that smothers the more important, though harder
to uncover, stories of financial intrigue. The media, for the most part,
reports what it is told. It is to expensive to do otherwise. And to make
a semblance of sense in 30 seconds on national prime time news requires
gross generalisations and memorable words.
Linda Smircich in Putnam and Pacanowsky's "Communication and Organisation:
An interpretative approach" (1983) showed how the words "the energy crisis"
of 1973 mis-described a minor fluctuation in oil supplies to cover a
bargaining position of gas companies. The three word sound bite told us
the problem and what we needed to do in response. And it was bullshit.
Such is, I believe, the "Asian Flu" and the "global financial crisis". To
be sure there is a crisis. Many countries will be embroiled in major
social upheaval because of it. But it is a crisis not of their making. It
is not their fault though forever they have the blame.
DF
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I was struck by the quote from =
Chossudovsky copied below
"The existence of a =
"global financial crisis" is casually denied by the
Western =
media, its social impacts are downplayed or distorted; =
international
institutions including the United Nations deny the =
mounting tide of World
poverty: "the progress in reducing =
poverty over the [late] 20th century is
remarkable and =
unprecedented..."1. The "consensus" is that the =
Western
economy is "healthy" and that "market =
corrections" on Wall Street are
largely attributable to the =
"Asian flu" and to Russia's troubled "transition
to a =
free market economy"."
The power of words to =
(mis)describe truth are shown in that small piece. Who is to blame =
for the "global financial crisis"? Probably those with =
the most to gain. Is the crisis "Asian flu"? Do we =
blame the Asians, the Russians, the Africans, Chinese?
My =
interest is not the argument about "who" but the use of cute =
sound bites and pithy headlines to determine national thinking and =
social behaviour. "Asian flu" very usefully transfers =
blame to all Asians. The West is therefore blameless. The =
West hasn't got the flu. They are not sick. It is therefore =
not within the Western consciousness that the financial crisis facing =
Asian (and other) countries has its origins in Western greed.
Who =
is at fault for this mis-information. Unfortunately it is our =
ourselves and therefore, through reflection, the media. We have an =
appetite for sexual scandal that smothers the more important, though =
harder to uncover, stories of financial intrigue. The media, for the =
most part, reports what it is told. It is to expensive to do =
otherwise. And to make a semblance of sense in 30 seconds on =
national prime time news requires gross generalisations and memorable =
words.
Linda Smircich in Putnam and Pacanowsky's =
"Communication and Organisation: An interpretative approach" =
(1983) showed how the words "the energy crisis" of 1973 =
mis-described a minor fluctuation in oil supplies to cover a =
bargaining position of gas companies. The three word sound bite =
told us the problem and what we needed to do in response. And it =
was bullshit.
Such is, I believe, the "Asian Flu" and =
the "global financial crisis". To be sure there is a =
crisis. Many countries will be embroiled in major social upheaval =
because of it. But it is a crisis not of their making. It is =
not their fault though forever they have the =
blame.
DF